I don't own Harry Potter!
Tonks sniffed as she pulled her cloak tighter around her shivering body. Bugger, it was cold. She had been walking around Hogsmeade for the past five hours, on the look out for anything suspicious and thankfully her shift was almost over, and it was Dwalish's turn to be miserable.
Not that going inside would make her any less miserable, she thought tugging on her mousy brown hair that was laying on her shoulders, the rest hidden from a hat. One that she had acquired from Ginny as an early Christmas present when the younger girl had last been in Hogsmeade a few weeks earlier after seeing the Auror rubbing at her ears.
"Nice hat, it suits you." A voice spoke from behind her causing her to spin around in shock; not because she had been caught unaware but because she recognised the voice almost instantaneously.
"Remus!" Her breath came out in a clear white puff as she took in the man who was now in front of her. He was even more dishevelled than usual, which she hated to admit, took some work to do. He also looked warier, the hair on the sides of his head greyer than usual, lines on his face even deeper.
"Hello Nymphadora," He greeted causing her to almost berate him like she normally would, but she didn't because she could scarcely believe that he was here stood in front of her.
There was a pause where they just stared at each other, it had been months since they had last been together, since they had even spoken. Well I guess that would be a given when he was off living in a Werewolf coven or whatever it was they called themselves.
"What are you doing here!" She questioned, unable to keep the anger from seeping into her voice.
Remus shrugged weakly as he stared at the women that he loves.
Gripping her wand in frustration, Tonks closed her eyes. "Remus…"
"I don't know why I'm here!" He answered honestly.
And it was the truth. He had been giving his report to Dumbledore before he headed to the Burrow to spend his time with normal civilised people with the Weasley's. He hadn't planned to end up in Hogsmeade, but he did. Then he only planned to see her to make sure she was alright and not approach her. That didn't go to plan either.
Tonks sighed, rubbing a hand over her face, she was so tired. "Well, if you don't know what you're doing here… I'll be on my way,"
Giving him a slight bitter smile, she turned and started walking in the opposite direction toward the Three Broomsticks where she had a room. Her hands rubbing at her arms not due to the cold but in an attempt to calm herself down from the feelings welling up in the pit of her stomach. Despair, anger, misery and love to name a few of the feeling that were swelling around her.
"Wait! Dora!"
"Don't call me that!" She spun around, her eyes flashing in anger, hair hanging limp whereas it was usually become a vivid shade of red.
"I can deal with you calling me Nymphadora right not but not… not that." She trailed off, brow furrowing at the tears that ha started to gather in her eyes.
Remus sighed in despair, a scarred hand coming up to fiddle with the stiff collar of his shirt. "I'm sorry,"
"I know you are," Tonks stopped at the entrance to the Three Broomsticks, snow now falling around them.
"Have you eaten?" She questioned reluctantly, pursing her lips in anger when he shook his head, no he hadn't. "Come on then. Let's get you a warm meal,"
Remus looked at the brunette girl in confusion, she didn't want to see him, surely that also she didn't want to share a meal with him.
"Don't look at me like that Remus Lupin. Just because I'm mad as hell at you, doesn't mean that I still don't love you."
"D-Tonks…"
"No! I don't want to hear it. Just come in and have a nice warm meal and then you can bugger off to wherever you want to!" She hissed, hands on her hips, her Black temper clearly flaring.
Remus held his hands up in mock surrender, not that it did anything but earn a glare, well what could he expect.
Following Tonks through the door he and Tonks both wiped the snow of their shoulders as she led them to a booth in the corner that looked more secluded than most. He recalled in his Hogwarts days this was the booth Sirius took his dates when he wanted to snog them on Hogsmeade dates. Pushing away the pang of sadness, he sat down across from Tonks who was looking at him expectantly.
"I'll go order us something from Rosmerta then, shall I?" She didn't wait for a reply before she was off leaving him to sit in his own silence.
Looking around the pub Remus sighed as a wave of nostalgia hit him, it had been awhile since he was last here and yet it hadn't changed since his Hogwarts years, at all. Even the tables were in the same places as they had been back then.
He could see the table where he and Peter had been sat when James and Sirius had come bounding up to them, massive smiles on their faces and James carrying an entire bottle of Firewhiskey. Sirius had sweettalked Madame Rosmerta whilst James had snuck behind the bar to steal the bottle.
The bang of a cup being placed down on the table and a slosh of coffee spilling in front of him broke him out of his memories. Tonks murmured an apology before she grabbed a napkin to clean up the mess.
"You all right?" She questioned once she sat down, noticing the far away look on his face.
Remus cleared his throat. "Just reminiscing."
They lapsed into a momentary silence, taking each other in once again, this time in better light that the dark outside. He really did look worse than usual she couldn't help but notice… and mention before she could help herself.
"Living with werewolf's is…. Different than living amongst Wizards… a lot different," He admitted, looking into his coffee like it was going to all of a sudden give him a prophecy, "But that doesn't really matter, I have a job to do. And, how are you?"
"I'm fine," She murmured, taking a sip out of her own coffee sighing in relief at the warmth it held.
"Tonks… Harry told me about your patronous..."
Darn it, she knew he had seen. Having Snape comment on it was bad enough and new Remus knew… well she could have done without him knowing, he would probably use it as another excuse of why they couldn't be together.
He was too old, poor and dangerous. She thought with an internal scoff. So What.
"Is it a…?" He trailed off when she didn't reply to his first statement.
"Yes!" She burst out. "So, what if it is?"
"D-Tonks.."
"No! You think this is some silly school girl crush that I can get over! It's not and my Patronus just proves that even more, as much as you want to ignore it!"
Remus rubbed him hands together, his coffee now placed on the table in front of him, "I don't think that your feelings aren't real, you'll just find someone else around your age and far less dangerous to love in the future, someone you will love more than me."
"Oh! That's just a load of bullshit and if you think that then you obviously don't know me as well as you think!" She hissed angrily.
"Of course, I know you!" He despaired.
"Then you know that I love you and I'm always going to love you!"
He sighed, fiddling with the edge of his cup as he looked into her sad eyes, "And you know I Love you too… but then you also know why It can't happen!"
Tonks huffed, opening her mouth to reply but was cut off when Madame Rosmerta arrived with two bowls of steaming stew. She decided to leave the subject when she noticed how Remus' face lit up at the sight of his first hot meal in weeks.
They ate their meals in silence, taking quick glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. It wasn't long before Remus declared it was probably best for him to leave, getting up from the table and fishing around in his pockets for money to give her.
"Wait!" She spoke, grabbing his wrist as he stopped his rooting to look down at her, half bent over the table. "Come upstairs with me,"
"You know that isn't a good idea," He sighed.
"Please, just this once!"
"Please" She added once again in a quite whisper, almost pleading.
So, what do you think? I'm thinking about adding another chapter but not sure yet going to see what the response is like to this chapter first!
I love writing about Remus and Tonks they are one of my favourite pairings!